Staples’ discounted items include 17-cent notebooks, 25-cent rulers and 82-cent filler paper, and other items are priced at less than $1. Check out the full list of back-to-school items on Staples’ website.

Wal-Mart has deals in stores and online, and offers its own price- match program. Wal-Mart’s Savings Catcher website lets customers enter an ID code from their receipts. The retail giant then compares its own prices to other advertised prices at competitors that week. If the Savings Catcher finds a lower advertised price at a competitor, Wal-Mart will send an e-gift card with the difference.

This week is a great time to shop in the Free State. It’s Maryland’s sales tax-free week, which means consumers will get to keep more green in their wallets if they buy clothing or shoe items priced less than $100.

Diapers, hats, belts, jerseys and swimsuits are exempt from the 6 percent sales tax. Sales tax is not applied to any of those items purchased online either, as long as they’re paid for and delivered this week.